If you have any songs of poems you would like to share, please let me know on the

discussion page to the left.

Poem

A beautiful poem to share with kids to help them think about their writing and their reading:

Revolution for the Tested
 
Write.
 
But don't write what they tell you to.
Don't write formulaic paragraphs
Counting sentences as you go
Three-four-five-Done.
Put your pencil down.
 
Don't write to fill in lines.
For a weary scorer earning minimum wage
Handing out points for main ideas
Supported by examples
From the carefully selected text.
 
Write for yourself.
Write because until you do,
You will never understand
What it is you mean to say
Or who you want to be.
Write because it makes you whole.
 
And write for the world.
Because your voice is important.
Write because people are hurting
Because animals are dying
Because there is injustice
That will never change if you don't.
Write because it matters.
 
And know this.
They'll tell you it won't make a difference,
Not to trouble over grownup things,
Just fill in the lines
And leave it at that.
Tell them you know the truth.
That writing is powerful.
Just one voice on the page
Speaks loudly.
And not only can a chorus of those united change the world.
It is the only thing that ever has.
 
 
Read.
 
But don't read what they tell you to.
Don't read excerpts, half-poems,
Carefully selected for lexile content,
Or articles written for the sole purpose
Of testing your comprehension.
 
Don't read for trinkets,
For pencils or fast food coupons.
Don't even read for M&M's.
And don't read for points.
 
Read for yourself.
Read because it will show you who you are,
Who you want to be some day,
And who you need to understand.
Read because it will open doors
To college and opportunity, yes,
And better places still...
Doors to barns where pigs and spiders speak,
To lands where anything is possible.
To Hogwarts and Teribithia,
To Narnia and to Hope.
 
Read for the world.
Read to solve its problems.
Read to separate reality from ranting,
Possibility from false promise.
And leaders from snake oil peddlers.
Read so you can tell the difference.
Because an educated person is so much harder
To enslave.
 
And know this.
They'll say they want what's best for you,
That data doesn't lie.
Tell them you know the truth.
Ideas can't be trapped in tiny bubbles.
It's not about points
On a chart or a test or points anywhere.
And it never will be.
 
Copyright 2010 ~ Kate Messner
[[@http://kmessner.livejournal.com/172924.html]]
 
I shared this poem as part of my NCTE/ALAN presentations, and I've had many teachers
write to ask if it's okay to share with students and colleagues in the classroom.
The answer is absolutely yes.  Share away!
 
However, I've had a problem with the poem being republished online without my
permission and without appropriate citation, so please....if you'd like to share
any part of this poem with online readers, please do so with my name listed as
the author and a link to the full poem at this post. Thanks!

Michael Jackson

Earth Song

What about sunrise
What about rain
What about all the things
That you said we were to gain.. .
What about killing fields
Is there a time
What about all the things
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the blood we've shed before
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores?

Aaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaah

What have we done to the world
Look what we've done
What about all the peace
That you pledge your only son...
What about flowering fields
Is there a time
What about all the dreams
That you said was yours and mine...
Did you ever stop to notice
All the children dead from war
Did you ever stop to notice
The crying Earth the weeping shores

Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaah

I used to dream
I used to glance beyond the stars
Now I don't know where we are
Although I know we've drifted far

Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaah
Aaaaaaaaaaah Aaaaaaaaaaaah

Hey, what about yesterday
(What about us)
What about the seas
(What about us)
The heavens are falling down
(What about us)
I can't even breathe
(What about us)
What about the bleeding Earth
(What about us)
Can't we feel its wounds
(What about us)
What about nature's worth
(ooo,ooo)
It's our planet's womb
(What about us)
What about animals
(What about it)
We've turned kingdoms to dust
(What about us)
What about elephants
(What about us)
Have we lost their trust
(What about us)
What about crying whales
(What about us)
We're ravaging the seas
(What about us)
What about forest trails
(ooo, ooo)
Burnt despite our pleas
(What about us)
What about the holy land
(What about it)
Torn apart by creed
(What about us)
What about the common man
(What about us)
Can't we set him free
(What about us)
What about children dying
(What about us)
Can't you hear them cry
(What about us)
Where did we go wrong
(ooo, ooo)
Someone tell me why
(What about us)
What about babies
(What about it)
What about the days
(What about us)
What about all their joy
(What about us)
What about the man
(What about us)
What about the crying man
(What about us)
What about Abraham
(What was us)
What about death again
(ooo, ooo)
Do we give a damn

Earth Song

John Williamson

John Williamson wrote this song not long after Steve Irwin died. It talks about looking after the land and that if we don't people like Steve Irwin have worked to save the land for nothing. It is an Australian song but so relevant to everywhere.

Wildlife Warriors It's Time

It's time to think of why we're proud to be a part of
A land so ancient, so hard to get a hold of
Why the kangaroo and emu is on the baggy green
Why do we sing of coolabahs, billabongs and cockatoos
Do we really care, are we aware of what we lose
While we knock it down again and again and again

C'mon wattle soldiers, wildlife warriors get angry
They'll call you green, they'll call you red
Just stay strong and turn your head
And think of little bilbies and gliders and rare wallabies
Now's the time to stir again
It's time, it's time, it's time, it's time, IT'S TIME

Yeah, it's time to stop the slaughter of our native land
No more telling lies, drawing lines in the sand
Maybe we didn't know but surely now it's underhand
No more crocodile tears, did he die in vain
Did he make us cry, did he suffer all his pain
So we could knock it down again and again and again

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/wildlife_warriors:_its_time_lyrics_john_williamson.html


This is another song written about the way the land is being jeopardised by taking down trees for seemingly no reason. A lot of people protested about this song but it is a powerful message.

Rip Rip Woodchip

What am I gonna do - what about the future?
Gotta draw the line without delay
Why shouldn't I get emotional - the bush is sacred
Ancient life will fade away
Over the hill they go, killing another mountain
Gotta fill the quota - can't go slow
Huge machinery wiping out the scenery
One big swipe like a shearer's blow

Rip rip woodchip - turn it into paper
Throw it in the bin, no news today
Nightmare, dreaming - can't you hear the screaming?
Chainsaw, eyesore - more decay

Remember the axemen knew their timber
Cared about the way they brought it down
Crosscut, blackbutt, tallowood and cedar
Build another bungalow - pioneer town

I am the bush and I am koala
We are one - go hand in hand
I am the bush like Banjo and Henry
It's in my blood - gonna make a stand

Rip rip woodchip - turn it into paper
Throw it in the bin, no news today
Nightmare, dreaming - can't you hear the screaming?
Chainsaw, eyesore - more decay

Rip rip woodchip - turn it into paper
Throw it in the bin - don't understand
Nightmare, dreaming - can't you hear the screaming?
Stirs my blood - gonna make a stand

[ These are Rip Rip Woodchip Lyrics on http://www.lyricsmania.com/ ]

More lyrics: http://www.lyricsmania.com/rip_rip_woodchip_lyrics_john_williamson.html
All about John Williamson: http://www.musictory.com/music/John+Williamson